Newsom Issues Order to Help Protect Fire-Affected Areas During Rain
Gov. Gavin Newsom issued an executive order today to expedite debris removal and prevent debris flows in wildfire-affected areas ahead of expected rainfall.
The firestorms have left debris and burn scars across Los Angeles' landscape, posing a safety concern in light of rainfall that forecasts show is on the way. As burn scars do not absorb water at normal rates, they create a risk for mudslides, landslides, flash floods and debris flows.
The order will help mitigate the risk and protect communities by hastening efforts to remove debris, bolster flood defenses and stabilize hillsides in affected areas, Newsom said.
"As work continues to fight fires across Los Angeles County, the state is already working to prepare for the damage that can happen when winter rainstorms hit burn scars, causing landslides and flooding,'' the governor said in a statement. "This order helps keep our emergency response focused on protecting communities, not permits and paperwork."
Among other items, the executive order will streamline emergency response work, such as shoring up hillsides and clearing debris out of waterways quickly, by suspending certain environmental rules and approval procedures for 90 days, through the end of the normal rainy season, Newsom said.
Work in streams and rivers will need to follow specified conditions to protect those important waterways, he said.
"I appreciate the governor's swift action to remove all regulatory barriers so that our county can quickly provide critical flood and debris flow protection to all areas impacted by these devastating fires,'' Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors Chair Kathryn Barger said. "The work ahead of us is significant and will be a big lift. However, with this executive order, Los Angeles County Public Works can get to work immediately, well ahead of future rainstorms. Public safety comes first and all levels of government are banding together to deliver on that promise."
